Page:History of the Reign of Ferdinand and Isabella the Catholic Vol. III.djvu/237

211 HE RESIGNS TO PHILIP. 211 ished him of his incompetency to govern a nation chapter like the Spaniards, whom he understood so little, — '- — '■ — but urged him at the same time to present himself before them with his wife, as soon as possible. ^^ Ferdinand's situation, however, was far from mspany comfortable. Philip's, or rather Manuel's, emissa- ries, were busily stirring up the embers of disaffec- tion. They dwelt on the advantages to be gained from the free and lavish disposition of Philip, which they contrasted with the parsimonious temper of the stern old Catalan^ who had so long held them under his yoke.'^ Ferdinand, whose policy it had been to crush the overgrown power of the nobility, and who, as a foreigner, had none of the natural claims to loyalty enjoyed by his late queen, was extremely odious to that jealous and haughty body. The number of Philip's adherents increased in it every day, and soon comprehended the most con- siderable names in the kingdom. The king, who watched these symptoms of dis- affection with deep anxiety, said little, says Martyr, but coolly scrutinized the minds of those around him, dissembling as far as possible his own senti- ments.'^ He received further and more unequiv- ocal evidence, at this time, of the alienation of his son-in-law. An Aragonese gentleman, named Con- 11 Peter Martyr, Opus Epist., rum potentia fruituros, quam sub epist. 282. — Zurita, Anales, torn, austero et parum liberali, ut aie- vi. lib. 6, cap. 1. — Gomez, De iz.t, scne Catalano ^ Vitas 111 ust. Ilebus Gestis, fol. 53. — Mariana, Virorum, p. 277. Hist, de Espaiia, torn. ii. lib. 28, 13 " Rex quaecunque versant at- cap. 12. que ordiuntur, sentit, dissimulat et 12 " Existimantes," says Giovio, animos omnium tacitus scrutatur." " sub florentissimo juvene rege ali- Opus Epist., epist. 289. quanto liberius atque licentius ipso-